保罗：什么时间了?
Jackie: It’s 2:30. The Cleveland office report shouldhave been emailed to us by the end of the workdayyesterday. What are we supposed to do now?
杰基：两点半了。克利夫兰办公室昨天下班前应将报告通过电子邮件发给我们，但是他们没有。我们现在应该怎么做?
Paul: If we don’t get their report, we’ll have to holdup the production of the annual report and if thathappens, somebody’s head is going to roll. This reallyleaves us in a lurch. Who’s responsible for thereport in Cleveland?
保罗：如果我们拿不到他们的报告，我们年度报告的出炉就要推迟。如果出现了这种情况，许多人会受严励处分。这确实会让我们狼狈不堪。是谁负责克利夫兰的报告?
Jackie: Noel Simmons.
杰基：诺埃尔•西蒙斯。
Paul: Oh, no. I know Noel. I used to work with him in the Columbus office. He was alwaysdropping the ball on his responsibilities and I was always having to cover for him.
保罗：噢，不。我知道诺埃尔这个人。我曾经与他一起在哥伦布办公室共过事。他总是逃脱责任，而我总是不得不为他擦屁股。
Jackie: You must have had the patience of a saint! If he’s such a flake, why is he still workingfor this company?
杰基：那你要有多大的耐心啊!既然他这么靠不住，为什么他还在这家公司呆着?
Paul: Beats me, but I know we’re in for a long wait if he’s in charge. We have to do something.Get on the phone and see if you can light a fire under him. Unless we keep on him, we’ll neversee that report.
保罗：我也迷惑不解。但我知道，只要是他负责这个报告，我们就要漫长地等待。我们必须做点什么了。给他打电话，看看你能不能催催他。除非我们一直盯着他，否则我们永远拿不到这个报告。
Jackie: Okay, I’ll call the Cleveland office right now.
杰基：好吧，我会给克利夫兰办公室打电话。
Paul: And Jackie?
保罗：杰基，还有一件事。
Jackie: Yes?
杰基：您说。
Paul: If he gives you a line or some kind of excuse, let me talk to him.
保罗：如果他对你撒谎或编造某种借口，你让我跟他谈。
Jackie: What’ll you do?
杰基：你会怎么做?
Paul: I’ll take him on a trip down memory lane. When I used to work with him, I wasn’t alwaysso patient – or polite.
保罗：我会揭他的老底。当时我和他一起工作的时候，我对他可不是总那么有耐心，也不总那么和颜悦色。
